Lifting-jack.



W. F. HIATT.

LIFTINGJACK. .APPLICATION FILEI- IIIAII. 5. 1914.

"uM- QI Patented. Sept. 7, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W. F. HIATT.

LIFTING JACK.

APPLICATION FILED IIIAII. 5, Ism.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N. .r .I .1 I n .I I n. I. z f... v f I... ...I l s r f r I A l 1 lsoconstruct the implement that an actuating WILLIAM F. HLATT, 0FINDIANAPOLIS, INDIA A, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

'ro CHARLES E. BENEFI'EL COMPANY, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ACORPORATION 0F INDIANA. l

risaaov.

Application led March 5, 1'914. Serial No. 822,744.

HI'ATT, at In.-

dianapolis, in the county of Marion and.

State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improve-ments inLifting-Jacks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates lto lifting jacks and particularly to lifting jackshaving toothed standards and slides having pawls engaging the teeththereon.

One object of my invention is the provision of an implement soconstructed that it may be used for a variety of purposes as, forinstance, a lifting jack, a pulling jack, a wire stretcher, vise, nailpuller, etc.'

A further object is to improve the construction of implements of thischaracter so as to reduce the number of parts, simplify the mode ofoperation, and reduce the cost of manufacture. i

A further object of the invention is to handle may be readily insertedinto or removed from the-pawl carrying slide or shoe and in thisconnection to so form the handle that it will be supported upon studscast with the slide, thus doing away with the -necessity of usingfulcrumpins.

A still further object is to so construct the handle and the pawls thatthe pawls may be readily inserted into the handle and without thenecessity of using fulcrum pins.

A further object is to form the slide with a removable bottom wall orbase, thus saving space, reducing' the area occupied by the workingparts, and providing a support on which the actuating member may rock,this base Lholding the actuating member in place, but upon removalpermitting the actuating member to be removed from the slide.

A still further object is to provide means for securing a reverse actionof the pawls, said means being also shiftable to move the pawls to aposition which will'permit of free movement of the slide longitudinallyalong the standard without engagement of.

the pawls with the teeth of the slide.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide a lifting jack. with adetachable base, this base being so constructed as to .provide wrenchjaws which may be 'used in pulling nails or setting' up nuts and forother purposes.

Specification of Letters Patent.

LIFTING-'J'ACK.

Patented-Sept. '7, i915.

A still further object is to provide the slide of the lifting jack witha foot piece and provide the upper end of the standard with a handle anda projecting jaw, the jaw being opposed to the foot piece so Y two maybe used for holding objects between them. 1

Still' another object is to provide upon the that the A A slide a wiregripping device and provide l upon the upper end of the standard a wiregripping device so that the lifting jack may be used for stretchingwire.

Other objects will appear in the course of i the following description.l

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

igure l is a perspective view of my irnproved implement. Fig. 2 isa sideelevation of the implement, the view being opposite to that shown inFig. l. Fig 3 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section of the slideand a portion of the standard and the handle. Fig. 4 is a verticalsection on the line 1 -4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a like view to Fig. 3 butshowing the reverse mechanism. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of thehandle and the pawls. Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the wire clamps.

` Referring to these drawings 2 designates a base and 3 the toothedstandard of the lifting jack. The base 2 is formedA with a transverserib 4 enlarged at its middle and recessed as at 5 for the' reception ofthe lower end of the standard. The standard 3 is held in this recess bymeans of a Cotter pin 6 or any other suitable device of like characterpassing through the rib and through thestandard. The base 2 is formed atdiametrically opposite portions with the 'aws 7 and 8, the faces of thejaws 8 being smooth and the faces of the jaws 7 being notched in themanner of a Stillson wrench. These jaws it will be seen from Fig. l, areconverging jaws.

The upper end of the standard is provided with a detachable handle 9,this handle consisting of a casting formed with the opposite verticalflanges l0 and 11 to embrace the upper end of the standard 3 and thishandle is 4held to the standard by means of a bolt l2. At the junctionof the handle proper with the body of the castin there is formed theflange 13 the under ace of which is toothed as illustrated in Figs. land 2. The

face of the casting opposite the anges 10 and 11 is provided with aflange 14 the margin of which is inwardly turned and the inner face ofthis flange is toothed as at 15. Pivotally mounted upon the like face ofthe casting -is a pivoted spring Aactuated jaw 16 illustrated in detailin Fig. 7. This jaw is pivoted on a stud 17 by means of a screw andwasher 17a and the outer or free end of the jaw has an arcuate face 18which is toothed, this face coacting with the toothed face .of theflange 14. The outer face of the pivoted jaw 16 is formed with theoutwardly projecting lug 19 whereby the jaw may be operated. The jaw 16is formed of a hollow casting as illustrated in Fig. 7, this castinghaving a transverse web 20. Dis posed within the hollow of the castingis 4 a coil spring 21 one end of which 22, is inserted in a perforationin the casting 9 and the other end of which extends radially outwardalong the pivoted jaw and passes through a perforation in the web 20.The tendency of the spring 21 is to urge the jaw upward but the jaw maybe lpulled downyward by means of the stud 19 acting against the force ofthe spring. It will therefore be seen that when a wire is insertedbetween the movable jaw 16 and the fixed jaw formed by the flanged jaw14 the wire will be automatically gripped by the jaws.

Mounted upon the standard 3 is a sliding housing which will be hereaftercalled a slide and which is `designated 23. This slide is formed of asingle casting except as regards its lower end and on one side isprovided With an outwardly projecting foot bracket 24 and on theopposite side is provided with an outwardly projecting jaw 25 adapted tocoact with the jaw 13. The outer face of the slide on one side isprovided with an inwardly turned iange 26 which is interiorly toothedand which corresponds to the flange 14 on the upper end of the standard.Coacting with this jaw 26 is a pivoted jaw 27 which isformed inprecisely the same manner as the jaw 16 but is not spring actuated. Thisjaw 27 is mounted upon a stud 28 and is held in place upon the stud `bymeans of a screw 29 and a washer 30.

fitting in these grooves is the slotted base orl bottom member Thisbottom member is longitudinally vslotted as ai; 36 for the pasdle arepulled apart. j inserted, the trunnions 47 of the pawls be- `ing spreadto their original position and the sage of the standard 3. The innerfaces of the side plates 32 and 33 are formedv at opposite points withthe inwardly projecting circular studs 37. Pivotally mounted between thestuds 37 and the upper face of the bottom plate 35 are the two arms 38of an actuating member 39, there being a handle 40 which is insertiblewithin this member. As seen in Fig. 6, the actuating member 39 and thetwo arms 38 are cast in one piece. The arms 38 are both provided witharcuate under edges as at 41 and each arm on its upper face is formedwith a notch 42 forming a semicircular bearing engaging'with the.corresponding stud 37. The inner wall of each of the bearings 42 extendsbeyond the outer wall. Each of these bearings is arranged at an acuteangle to'the longitudinal axis of the corresponding arm 38. Each arm 38is formed with circular apertures 43 having pivotal engagement with thetrunnions of oppositely disposed pawls 44 and 45'. The pawls arebothalike. Each pawl comprises laterally spaced members 46, each of thesemembers having a' laterally projecting trunnion47 and the outer ends ofthe members being connected by means of a transverse'web 48. One of themembers 46 is perforated as at 49 while the other inember is formed withthe projecting tooth 50. The transverse web 48 o each pawl is adapted toengage with the teeth on the standard 3 as will-be later described.Engaging in the perforations .49 is the coiled contractile of thehandle, the trunnions 47 are forced together and the side members of thehan- The pawls are thus side members of the handle are drawn togetheragain. This construction does away with the necessity of using a pivotpin upon which the pawls usually operate and not only cheapens theconstruction but materially lightens the weight and reduces the chanceof breakage and detachment of they pawls. If, however, by any chance thepawls become broken, it is a comparatively easy matter to insert newpawls within the head.

The removable bottom piece 35- supports the arms with their bearings 42in engagement with the studs as illustrated clearly in Fig. 5, thisbottom plate also forming a fulcrum upon whichv the under edge of thearms 38 may bear andV rock in the oscillation of the handle. When thebottom piece 35 removed the handle may be readily removed together withthe pawls 46. The bottom plate 35 is held in place against accidentalremoval by means of screws 52.

The standard 3 is formed at its opposite edges with the downwardly andinwardly beveled teeth 53. The teeth 53 on one edge of the standard havestaggered relation tol the teeth 53 on the opposite edge of thestandard. It will be seen that the apex of each tooth is ilattened asat54. In order to differentiate the pawls with relation to these teeth, lhave designated the pawl on one side of the bar asa and on the otherside ofthe bar as 45. lt will be seen that the tooth 48 on one pawl isalways out of horizontal alinement with the tooth 48 of the oppositepawl and that upon a rocking motion being given to the member 39, onepawl will be raised while 'the other pawl will be stationary. As a pawlis raised itstooth 48 will slip upward upon the inclined face of astandard tooth until it engages over the upper edge of the tooth whilethe opposite pawl will be ,relatively fixed or held in engagement withthe corresponding'tooth on the standard.

Mounted on the inside of the housing or slide is a reverse deviceconsisting of a transversely eXtending'bar 55 having a semicircular.cutaway portion 56 on its lower edge defining oppositely disposed teeth57, the outer ends of the teeth being upwardly and .outwardly beveled orrounded as at 58. This o transverse bar has an offset head 59 whichpasses upward through a rectangular aperture 60 in the slide on one sideof the slot through which the standard passes, as illustrated clearly inFig. 4, and-the upper end of this head is extended in the form'of aspindle 6l. This spindle passes through an outwardly projecting lip Iorflange 62 formed upon the upper end of the slide and disposed betweenthe head 59 and this lip or flange 62 is a coiled compression spring 63which normally acts to urge the head 59 downward and carry with it thereverse device 55. Pivotally mounted upon the inside face ofthe slide onthe same side as the reverse device is a cam 64, clearly illustrated inFig. 5, which cam is adapted to engage with the lower end of the head59. ,When this cam is turned in one direction it will act to force thereverse device upwar against the force of the spring 63 as illus-Vtrated in Fig. 5. When, however, the cam is turned in the oppositedirection, it will l permit the reverse device to lower so as tu 6l. Thecam 64 is pivotally mounted uponv a pin 65, which pin extends throughthe side wall of the' slide and has attached thereto the wing button 66whereby the cam may be -actuated. It will be seen that the cam is ofy inthe direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, the

tooth 48 of the pawl 45 will 'slide upward upon the inclined face of thestandard tooth while the tooth of the pawl 45 will keep its engagementwith the tooth with which it is engaged. When the tooth 48 of thepawl 45has reached the tooth lettered m in Fig 3 the handle is depressed, thuscausing the pawl' 45a to move upward until its tooth 48 engages thetooth lettered y. rlhe handle `is again elevated and this oscillation iskept up until the slide has been elevated to its l desired position. nwin bo noted that tho bar 55 is so disposed under these circumstancesthat it does not engage with the pawls at all. rlhis position of the bar55. therefore, permits the Oscillation of the handleto cause the slideto climb upward upon the standard. In order to reverse the movement ofthe pawls so ".that the oscillation of the handle willcause the slide tomove step by step downward upon the standard, the cam 64 is shifted soas to permit the spring 63 to depress the reverse device or bar 55. Now,when the handle is oscillated Vthe inclined or beveled edges 58 of thebar 55 will alternately engage 'one or the other pawl and as the pawlrises will shift the pawl so as to carry its tooth 48 out of engagementwith the tooth of the bar, thus ,allowing the slide to slip downwardstep by step upon the standard. When the-reverse device is in itsdepressed position under the intiuence of. the spring 63. as beforeremarked, its opposite ends will alternately engage one or the other ofthe pawls and cause the alternate release of the pawls as heretoforestated. In either extreme position of the handle 40 the tooth 48 of thepawls 45 and 45 occupy ditierent Vrelative levels. The cam 64 havingbeen moved to admit of the reverse device being lowered by the action ofthe spring 63, the beveled ends 58 of such reverse device engage thebeveled endsof the respective pawls. The beveled end 58 of the reversedevice 55 on the same side with the pawl in engagement with a -vtooth 53of the standard extends over the upper beveled end of the tooth 48 ofsuch' pawl, 'while the opposite beveled lend 58 et the reverse deviceengages the extremity or point o-the pawl von the Asame side `therewith,thereby holding the tooth of such pawl im@ clear of the adjacent toothededge of the standard 3. Upon moving the handle' the beveled end of thepawl in toothed engagement with the standard rides outward upon thebeveled end 58 of the reverse extending thereover, land is movedoutward-thereby carrying the tooth of the pawl clear of the adjacenttoothed edge of the standard. At the same timethe beveled' end of theopposite pawl rides inward beneath the beveled` end of the reversetouching the point of such pawl. This admits of the tooth 48 of theinwardlym'oving pawl engaging the tooth of the standard below thatpreviously engaged by the pawl. The opposite pawls have a reversemovement, one ascending and the other descending. The ascending pawl isalways the one in engagement with the toothed standard, whereas thedescending pawl is the one coming into position to engage the tooth ofthe standard next below that with which it was previouslyin engagement.It will'thus be understood that the descent or backward movement of theslide 27 is similar to the ascent or forward movement of such slide, themovement being positive and step by step. When, however, the

`member 55 is depressed below this point S0 that both of its beveledends will engage the shifted freely either up or down upon the standard.This further' depression of the member 55 is secured by pressingmanually downward' upon the upper en d of the spindle 61. As soon as thepressure is released, however, the spring 51 will act to return thepawls toward each other and this will act to shift the member '55 upwardto the second position described.

The operation of my device as a lifting jackwill be understood from whathas gone before. It is only necessary to turn the button 66 inonedirection to secure an upward movement of the slide upon the oscillationof theA handle 40 or to reverse the button to secure a downward movementof the slide upon the actuation of the handle. Upon a furtherdepressionl of the spindle 61 as befbut for otherjpurposes. Y ""It'maybeuse'd/as a fence machine, a wire4 stretcher, a cider or wine press, apost and stump puller and a cable maker as well as in minor uses such asfor pulling nails, removing nuts, holding small objects, etc.

When used as a single wire stretcher, the nose or foot rest 24 is placedagainst the post against which the wire is to bestapled and after allthe slack in the wire is pulled up by hand, thewire is caught in thewire lock 14 and 16 of the carrying handle 9. A few strokes of the leverwill tighten the'wire suficiently to cause the machine to cling to thepost, the operators hands being free. If one stretch does not give thedesired tension, the wire is held between the clamping jaws 26 and 27and released from between the clamping jaws 14 and 16 and the standardis pushed back through the shoe or slide 23, the wire being again caughtin the upper pair of jaws 14 and 16, and the operation is repeated.

Where a fence is being built, necessitating the stretching of wovenwire, the chain is used to fasten the top end of the standard to theanchor post. The tool is placed in position with the shoe or foot rest24 against a clamp holding the end of the wire fencing and the handleoperated thus forcing the shoe along the standard and drawingl the wirefencing taut.

Where it is desired to mend a wire fence the slide 23 is lowered to thebottom of the standard. The opposite ends of the broken wire are caught,one in between the jaws 14 and 16 and the other between the jaws 26 and27. The lever is then operated to pull the two ends together. They maybe held in this position until spliced.

Whereit is desired to pull a post, a small chain is looped around thepost and over the foot rest 2 4. The handle is then operated to lift theslide 23. When used as a press, the base 2 is placed upon a follower.Chains are then passed around the foot rest 24 and beneath the materialto be compressed and the handle then operated to raise the slide 23 withrelation to the standard 3.

The base of the tool may be used as a hammer, nail puller or for thepurpose of making cables. The base is formed upon its margin with therecesses 68. The wires to be woven into a cable are cut in lengths andfastened at one end. The other ends are fastened together just back ofthe base and the wires are passed through the holes 68. By revolving thebase a length of cable may be made. These recesses 68 provide means alsowhereby screws may be passed through the base to hold the base solidlyin case it is so desired.

The use of the base 2 as a wrench for removing nuts, etc., will beobvious and it is also obvious that this base may be used for pullingnails or spikes by inserting the nails or spikes into the slot 8 andthen using the i standardv 3 as a lever. The rib 4: also forms a hammerhead,

the standard acting as a. handle.

It is also obvious that the handle 9 may be removed from the upper endof the standard and used as a separate tool. The shank of the handle, asillustrated, is formed with 'a plurality of rectangular aperturesdesignated 67 adapted to fit various sized nuts so that the handle maybe used for removing or screwing up nuts.

My invention is simple, may be 'cheaply made and is thoroughly eiectivein operation. Its particular` advantages reside in the variety of usesto which the implement may be put and also in constructing the slidemounted on the standard, a rocking actuating member bifurcated to engageon either side of the standard, each arm of the bifurcated portionhaving a bearing recess at its upper edge, the slide having inwardlyprojecting studs with which said bearing vrecesses-are engaged, asupport for the -actuating member to rock upon and holdingthe recessedfurcate portions thereof in engagement with the studs, and pawls mountedin the rocking member and engaging with the teeth of the standard. A

2. ln a lifting jack, a toothed standard, a slide mounted on thestandard, a rocking actuating member disposed in the slide, the slidebeing provided with an inwardly projecting stud with which the upperedge of the lactuating member engages, and -a detachablebottom platemounted in the slide immediately beneath said actuating-member.

3. In la lifting jack, a standard having teeth upon its opposite edges,a slide mounted upon the standard and having opposite inwardlyprojecting studs, a rocking actuating member bifurcated at its end toembrace the standard, the arms of said bifurcated end being disposedwithin the slide and each arm being formed in its upper edge with anopen bearlng recess engaging a corresponding stud, means `for rockinglysupporting the actuating member detachably fitted to the slide andextending along opposite sides of the standard, and 'opposltely disposedpawls pivotall-y mounted between the arms of the rocking member andengaging the teeth of the standard.

4. ln a lifting jack, a standard having teeth upon its opposite edges,the teeth being upwardly and outwardly inclined, a

slide mounted upon said standard, the slide being slotted at its upperend for the pas sage ofthe standard and having two spaced depending sideportions dlsposed on' each side of the standard, a detachable plateforming the bottom of the slide andslotted.

to embrace the standard, the side pieces of the slide being formed withinwardly pro- Jecting studs, a rocking member bifurcated to embrace thestandard, each arm of the bifurcate'd portion of the actuating memberbeing conveXly rounded upon its lower edge and formed with an openbearingV recess upon its upper edge adapted to engage with thecorresponding stud, oppositely disposed pawls pivotally mounted betweenthe arms of the actuating member and engageablewith the teeth of thestandard, and a spring urging said pawls toward each other.

5. In a lifting jack, a toothed standard, a slide mounted on thestandard, a. rocking actuating member ,mounted in the slide, oppositelydisposed pawls mounted in the rocking member and engageable with theteeth of the' standard, a reversing member mounted for vertical movementupon the slide and movable into and out of engagement with the pawls,vand a cam mounted upon the slide and engageable with the reversingmember to shift the same.

6. ln a lifting jack, a toothed standard, a slide mounted on thestandard, a rocking actuating member mounted in the slide, oppositelydisposed pawls mounted in the rocking member and engageable with theteeth of the standard, a reversing member mounted for vertical movementupon the slide and movable into and out of engagement with the pawls,a'spring acting'to force the reversing member downward, and a cammounted upon the slide and engageable with thereversing member to raiseit when the cam is shifted.

7. In a lifting jack, a toothed standard, a slide mounted on thestandard, a rocking acn tuating member mounted in the slide, oppo sitelydisposed pawls carried by the ac tuating member and engageable with the.

teeth of thestandard, and a member having beveled ends adapted to bevertically shitted in a position to, engage intermittently with thepawls to prevent engagement of a pawl with a tooth of the standard upona 'rocking movement of the actuating member, shiftable into position toengage both of the pawls to thereby force both pawls out of .engagementwith the teeth and shiftable into position entirely out of the path ofmovement of the pawls, and means for shiftingsaid member.

- 8, In a lifting jack, a toothed standard, a`

slide mounted upon the standard', a rocking actuating member mounted onthe slide, oppositely disposed pawls mounted .in the 'rocking member andengageable with the teeth of the standard, each of said pawls having aninwardly extending tooth beveled upon 1ts` upper face, a spring urgingsaid pawls. toward eachother, and a vertically we movable pawl engagingmember mounted upon the standard having beveled outer faces, a springurging said member downward and rotatable means for shifting said,v

' engaging member to lift it upon a rotation of the cam, and a buttonmounted upon the outer .face of the slide whereby the cam may beactuated.

10. In a lifting jack, a standard having upwardly inclined teeth uponits opposite edges, a slide mounted upon the standard, said slide havingoppositely disposed side members embracing the standard and a removablebottom plate removably engaging said side members and embracing thestandard, the said members being formed with oppositely-disposed studs,an actuating meinber bifurcated at its ends to provide parallel arms,said arms projecting into Ithe slide and being formed upon their upperedges each with an open recess for engagement with the correspondingstud, and oppositely disposed pawls having trunnions engaging the armsof said actuating member on each side of and below the rocking axis ofthe actuating member.

11. In a lifting jack, a toothed standard, a slide mounted upon thestandard, a rocking actuating member disposed in the slide,

the slide being provided with inwardly pro-l j ecting studs with whichthe actuating member engages, pawls on the actuating member engaging theteeth of the standard, and detachable means for holding the actuating-member in rocking engagement with said studs. ,i p l A12. In a liftingjack, a standard formed with oppositely disposed, upwardly inclinedteeth, a slide embracing the standard, a rocking actuating memberbifurcated at one end to provide arms embracing the standard andinsertible within the slid-e, lsaid slide being formed upon its innerfaces with inwardly projecting studs with which the arms of theactuating member have rocking engagement, and a member detachablyengaged with the slide and when in position engaging with the loweredges of the arms of the actuating member to hold the upper edges of thearms in rocking engagement with the studs.

13. In a lifting jack, a standard having teeth upon its opposite edges,a slide mounted upon the standard, the slide being -slotted at itsupperend for the passage of the standard and having two spaced dependingside portions disposed on each side of the standard, the inside faces ofthese side portions at their lower ends being grooved, a plate formingthe bottom of the slide and adapted to` be inserted in said groove, saidplate being slotted to embrace the standard, the side pieces of theslide being formed with inwardly projecting studs, anactuating memberbifurcated to embrace the standard and to provide parallel arms, theupper edges of the arms being engageable with said studs and the loweredges of the arms being supported upon said detachable plate, andoppositely disposed pawls pivotally mounted between the arms of theactuating member and engageable with the teeth of the standard.

14. In a lifting jack, a toothed standard, a slide mountedupon thestandard and having inwardly projecting studs, an actuating memberdisposed within the slide and notched for detachably engaging said studsfor a rocking movement, and detachable means for holding said actuatingmember in place.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. HIATT. [11. s]

Witnesses:

SAML. W. TEMPLn'roN, EDWARD C. ILY.

